Attendances 2022

**EatYerGreens** · 26/08/2022, 2:01 PM

Originally Posted by D24Saint

Looked a shocker alright. The football fans up north are too strung out on Celtic and Rangers. If they cant get a decent crowd and atmosphere for that game last night then they are a lost cause.

I think it's more the parochial nature of the north (or at least certain communities up there anyway).

It wasn't until the last couple of years that IL clubs started taking European football seriously by not letting key players and even managers go on holiday when the games are on. The Setanta cup never really captured the attention of IL clubs even though 2 of them won it. If it's not local, and especially if they'll struggle to win, then they just aren't interested.

Sure fans of Belfast clubs used to complain about having to travel an hour and a half to games in Ballinamallard. Small minds that are happy in a small league. The 'our wee country' outlook. It's why an all-island league will always struggle to get support up there.

**Nesta99** · 26/08/2022, 2:03 PM

Maybe the way clubs have not been interested in competing in Europe, manager and players being on holidays, home ground booked out for home game, well the crowds may still have disinterest. Linfield were the first side that publicly said that European progression was a target and were damn close to the ECL groups. They have to mature to a level of being more ruthless and cynical at this level. You'd still have thought there'd be more Bluesmen through the gate. Is there any neutral following of the Irish league in Europe that you get in LoI? I doubt it though.

**EalingGreen** · 26/08/2022, 7:29 PM

Originally Posted by nr637

The NI Football League has revealed a 32% increase of fans.
https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/sport/...-rise-23906483

Originally Posted by nr637

The NI Football League has revealed a 32% increase of fans.
https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/sport/...-rise-23906483

That was for last season (2021/22).

Meanwhile, they've had an encouraging start to this season, too, with crowds higher again than last season's 1,440 average:

https://www.irishleaguesupporters.com/attendances.php

https://www.nifootballleague.com/pre...-2023/results/

Some points to note:
1. Glenavon's reported 586 vs Larne was understated because their ticket scanners weren't working, so they had to wave some ticket holders through without recording them;
2. Newry will be delighted at breaking the 2k mark against Linfield on a Sunday;
3. Linfield also had a decent crowd of 2,806 at home to Portadown also on a Sunday(!);
4. Glentoran's 3,175 at home to Crues was especially notable for (a ) being on a Friday evening, and (b ) live streamed on BBC;
5. Coleraine have resumed where they left off last season with 2,657 vs Cliftonville (not sure what's behind it);
6. Larne's 2,695 season opener vs Glentoran on a Friday evening, livestreamed on BBC, shows just what can be achieved with decent investment in players and stadium (esp). Before Bruce took over they hardly broke 3 figures in a run down Inver Park.

**EalingGreen** · 26/08/2022, 7:40 PM

Originally Posted by EatYerGreens

I think you have to poke at those figures with a stick to get to the facts beneath them.

Anyone who's been to watch Warrenpoint play can confirm that the club literally has feck all supporters. So if they posted a 75% increase in attendances then that would reflect 1) A small increase from a low base, and 2) Mostly driven by away fans.

Warrtenpoint have been replaced this season by Newry City, who should draw bigger crowds Remains to be seen exactly how much bigger.

Originally Posted by EatYerGreens

The attendances in the north are good for the regional clubs like Coleraine, Larne and Ballymena. Much less so for the Belfast clubs, given the size of their city. Linfield's average last year was less than 3,000. For a club that dominates pretty much all the time and has the best stadium on the island in a large city, that is pretty poor really. Also - as European money means that Linfield is likely to continue dominating the IL, surely the attendnaces at other clubs will tail off longer term as it becomes even more of a one horse race?

The metropolitan area population of Belfast is 585k (285k for the city itself). There are 4 top flight clubs in the city.

The population of Dublin City is is 1.4m(?), with the Greater Dublin area bringing it up to 2m. There are 5 top flight clubs in the city, incl. UCD.

**EalingGreen** · 26/08/2022, 7:48 PM

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

Yet, there were only just over 4,700 in Windsor Park last night for one of Linfields biggest ever games. I thought, for the occasion, it was a shocking crowd. Would have thought they'd top 7,000 or more for that game.

Yeah, it's a shame there werent a whole lot more there.

You know, to witness the humiliation...

FTB (and the horse they rode in on)!

**EalingGreen** · 26/08/2022, 7:54 PM

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

There were 11,000 in for the League Cup final back in March in Windsor Park. If they can get that sort of a crowd in for a League Cup final, you would have expected something similar for the play-off round for a potential first ever European group stage qualification.

Not only that, but the final didn't even involve Linfield!

It was between Cliftonville and Coleraine and on a Sunday. Seems that it was very well publicised and promoted, also very well priced, so the fans didn't feel gouged.

And the League Cup plays very much second fiddle to the Irish Cup.

**ger121** · 26/08/2022, 8:02 PM

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

Yet, there were only just over 4,700 in Windsor Park last night for one of Linfields biggest ever games. I thought, for the occasion, it was a shocking crowd. Would have thought they'd top 7,000 or more for that game.

They’ve been trying for so long to get out of Europe, that the attraction of getting back into Europe is just not that appealing to a lot of their fanbase😬

**Philosophizer** · 26/08/2022, 8:58 PM

Originally Posted by EalingGreen

The population of Dublin City is is 1.4m(?), with the Greater Dublin area bringing it up to 2m. There are 5 top flight clubs in the city, incl. UCD.

Urban population of Dublin is 1.17m I believe.
The definition of greater Dublin or the metropolitan area or whatever can be a bit mad. Some include Dundalk down as far as Wexford.

**EalingGreen** · 26/08/2022, 9:29 PM

Originally Posted by Philosophizer

Urban population of Dublin is 1.17m I believe.
The definition of greater Dublin or the metropolitan area or whatever can be a bit mad. Some include Dundalk down as far as Wexford.

Fair enough.

But however you measure it, Dublin's population is somewhere between 3 and 4 times that of Belfast's.

Btw, the 1891 Census showed that Belfast's population had overtaken that of Dublin, a circumstance that prevailed for some years:
https://www.historyireland.com/belfast-at-its-zenith/

Which situation correlated closely with the introduction and development of football in Ireland (IFA founded 1880).

**nigel-harps1954** · 26/08/2022, 11:26 PM

Originally Posted by EalingGreen

1. Glenavon's reported 586 vs Larne was understated because their ticket scanners weren't working, so they had to wave some ticket holders through without recording them.

To be fair, that happens at almost every ground. I think my ticket into Finn Park this season has been scanned properly maybe three or four times all season..after a couple of failed attempts to scan I'm just waved through the gate.

**joey B** · 26/08/2022, 11:35 PM

Originally Posted by EalingGreen

Fair enough.

But however you measure it, Dublin's population is somewhere between 3 and 4 times that of Belfast's.

Btw, the 1891 Census showed that Belfast's population had overtaken that of Dublin, a circumstance that prevailed for some years:
https://www.historyireland.com/belfast-at-its-zenith/

Which situation correlated closely with the introduction and development of football in Ireland (IFA founded 1880).

What happened to Portadown Ealing? seen a picture of their game against yourselves tonight and the home end looked empty compared to the crowd Glentoran brought.....

**Shinkicker** · 27/08/2022, 7:10 AM

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

There were 11,000 in for the League Cup final back in March in Windsor Park. If they can get that sort of a crowd in for a League Cup final, you would have expected something similar for the play-off round for a potential first ever European group stage qualification.

That final in March was played on a Sunday. This was a first. I've said before that all amateur and intermediate football is played on Saturday 2pm kick off, so anyone who plays football can't go to watch their Irish league team play. Linfield have now played a number of games on Sundays and have stated the attendances are up considerably against the same opposition comoared to when the matches were played on Saturday.

**Shinkicker** · 27/08/2022, 7:29 AM

Originally Posted by EalingGreen

Warrtenpoint have been replaced this season by Newry City, who should draw bigger crowds Remains to be seen exactly how much bigger.

The metropolitan area population of Belfast is 585k (285k for the city itself). There are 4 top flight clubs in the city.

The population of Dublin City is is 1.4m(?), with the Greater Dublin area bringing it up to 2m. There are 5 top flight clubs in the city, incl. UCD.

Newry will draw bigger crowds than Warrenpoint as Warrenpoint is hard to get to and in most cases you have to go through Newry to get to Warrenpoint. Newry have always had a well run Football club but a bit of financial skulduggery was their down fall. Only the fact that someone seperated the team from the facility they would have lost everything. They are well positioned to attract players from across the border but they certainly won't attract support. As for the big 4 in Belfast their supporters are very local. I lived in a village 10 miles from Belfast and full of cliftonville and Linfield supporters but they only went to 2-3 games a year including Cup finals and thought the football was brilliant when it really wasn't.

**EalingGreen** · 27/08/2022, 5:46 PM

Originally Posted by joey B

What happened to Portadown Ealing? seen a picture of their game against yourselves tonight and the home end looked empty compared to the crowd Glentoran brought.....

Cant really comment on the Ports' support, but I suspect that generally, crowds are suffering from recent years in the doldrums, plus a poor season back in the Prem last tiime out.

More specific to last night, losing their first 3 league games on the trot this season can't have helped (albeit against decent teams).

Last night the crowd was 1,443, which you might have said wasn't too bad, except that the Glens sold out their allocation a couple of days in advance. I think the away end holds c.1,000, which means maybe 500 Ports max?

Which if correct is very poor for what should be a leading provincial side. Interestingly, PFC have recently unveiled plans to opem a 1k seater stand to replace the currently disused former Main Stand, which would boost capacity to 3,800 all seated. (Also install a 4G pitch and build an indoor training "dome" facility behind the fourth end):
https://portadownfc.co.uk/shamrock-park-development/

I can only assume they're hoping ro fund it via a big chunk of the £36m earmarked for sub-regional stadium funding from Stormont. As against that, it's already been there for a decade, being eaten away by inflation, and who knows how long it will take for those clowns to get their heads from their arses and actually do something with it.

**nr637** · 27/08/2022, 6:36 PM

Meanwhile lets get back to our wonderful League & Cup!

Any attendances for the FAI Cup games so far, Bonagee supposed to have sold out around 1,000 for their home game with Shels.

**brendy_éire** · 27/08/2022, 7:31 PM

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

To be fair, that happens at almost every ground. I think my ticket into Finn Park this season has been scanned properly maybe three or four times all season..after a couple of failed attempts to scan I'm just waved through the gate.

Though maybe it's in the interests of northern clubs for tickets not to be scanned, since it makes tracking the VAT payable more difficult.

Would always take IL attendances figures with a pinch of salt, they could often be higher.

**oriel** · 27/08/2022, 8:17 PM

Originally Posted by EalingGreen

Warrtenpoint have been replaced this season by Newry City, who should draw bigger crowds Remains to be seen exactly how much bigger.

The metropolitan area population of Belfast is 585k (285k for the city itself). There are 4 top flight clubs in the city.

The population of Dublin City is is 1.4m(?), with the Greater Dublin area bringing it up to 2m. There are 5 top flight clubs in the city, incl. UCD.

The 2.2k crowd for Newry v Linfield was high for a few reasons, first game back top flight, Sunday and Linfield prob took around 800+ but that said its still a decent crowd, however once they return to Sat 3pm (and for the life of me I just cannot understand this why IL clubs continue with it), I think they'll be doing well to get over 500 at most games. The interest in the town is just not there, have relations living up there, and its a GAA town mixed with Liverpool and Man U in pubs !